Bursting out of industrial Birmingham in the late 1970s and hitching a ride on the Two-Tone bandwagon for their first single, The English Beat answered the question of whether punk and reggae should mix better than anyone else. Their stunning first album in 1980 was an immediate success in their home country and even as they charted an unexpected course through the early years of the new decade, they retained a loyal following of roots, radicals and rockers. They additionally began to build a reputation in the USA through hard work on the road, but, in 1983, the pressure of maintaining a career strung across the Atlantic tore the group apart. The two front men Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger, formed the slick and initially successful General Public, but they were completely eclipsed by Fine Young Cannibals, the soul-pop outfit created by guitarist Andy Cox and bassist Andy Steele and whose second album sold millions worldwide.

This book covers the tumultuous period 1979-89 when this trio of groups poured forth a torrent of brilliant music and covers every album and every track, scooping up along the way the hits that never were, experimental B-sides, remixes and guest appearances. It is a truly idiosyncratic creative flare path lighting up a strange but exciting decade.